Section: New Results

Evolutionary interplay of genome content and 3D spatial structure

participants: A Crombach

Genomes are hierarchically folded, which involves transposable elements (TEs). The most prominently observed folding domains are conserved between cell types and across species, yet their building blocks, TEs, are powerful mutagens. This paradox raises the question why we observe evolutionary stable folding domains. Using in silico evolution of polymer genomes, the aim is to elucidate the interplay between mutations and folding structure. We have built the software and are in the process of generating data. First results indicate that due to accessibility in 3D (some parts of the genome are more tightly compacted than others), a positive feedback is created between (1) where mutations happen, (2) how genome content is changed, and (3) how genomes fold in 3D.